Currently in the art there is a need for an eye dropper application apparatus which automatically locates an eye drop dispenser and provides stability in all three directional axes of movement; up and down the height of the eye, side to side over the width of the eye and in and out over and above the surface of the eye.
Presently in the art, apparatus using a nasal bridge saddle as a support do not provide for control about all three axes, are not particularly safe and lack the ability to accommodate both eyes.
Furthermore, there is no apparatus that provides a safer and more functionally reliable device that will preclude reflexive blinking before a drop makes contact with the eye by a user.
Reflexive blinking is influenced by visual clues and tactile sensation. If an object suddenly flies toward the eye, the eyelids will reflexively close at high speed and the head flinches—a reflex to a visual threat without any volitional control. On the other hand, if a blast of air from a jet hits the eye, the eye will reflexively blink even though it cannot see the air coming but the cornea feels the air because of tactile sensation. The design of an eye drop delivery system should be aimed at minimizing contributory factors to reflexive blinking. The user should not see the drop coming and sensation should be minimal upon eye drop contact with the eye. By not seeing the approaching eye drop, the fear of a pending strike is eliminated and thus minimizing reflexive blinking. When the eye drop does make contact with a much less sensitive caruncle, the anxiety for future application is removed, thus enhancing medication compliance.
Gibilsco (U.S. Pat No. 4,257,417) exists in the art as a nose supported eye dropper holder. However, this apparatus only holds the bottle stable in a side-to-side direction. The holder does not produce any resistance to motion in a towards and away from the eye axis of motion, also called height precision locking. The motion of the eye dropper moving in such a manner may lead to the eye being impacted by the eye dropper and such an impact may be a source of infection or may scratch the surface of the eye. Furthermore, Gibilsco does not contain any discernible means by which up and down motion across the height of the eye may be presented, also called a stability locking mechanism. The lack of up and down stability, combined with the lack of in and out stability could even result in lack of accuracy in the side to side eye direction, as the combination of pulling the eye dropper too high up could also overshoot the iris.
Wood (U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,592) exists in the art as a nose support guide for eye droppers. However, this apparatus only positions the eye dropper over the user's eye and prevents motion only in a side-to-side axis. There is no element within this device that stops the eye dropper from moving in or out relative to the surface of the eye, thus the eye dropper can still impact with the surface of the eye. Further, Wood does not use eye pads or any part to prevent an eye dropper from pivoting in an up and down axis of motion across the height of the eye. Thus, Wood only dampens motion in the back and forth across the width of the eye axis of motion.
Campagna (U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,590) exists in the art as a device that attempts to stabilize an eye drop dispenser through use of a tripod with a pillar that rests on the forehead and another pillar that rests on the cheek. However, it does not provide a precise locator. For such a device to be used on both eyes, the device must be used on one eye and then rotated or flipped for use on the contralateral eye, such that the pillar which originally rested on the forehead over the first eye, upon flipping now rests on the cheek below the contralateral eye, and likewise the pillars that originally rested on the cheek below the first eye upon flipping now rests on the forehead above the contralateral eye. Thus, for the device to be flipped and align properly, the user's forehead and cheek must be of the same distance from the bottle since the pillars are not adjustable. Equally symmetric forehead and cheek dimensions are not typical or prevalent among humans, thus the device is not precise and cannot be flipped for a large portion of the population. Furthermore, the pillars are narrow, relatively pointed shafts and with fixed dimensions. Many users may be reluctant to place two pointed shafts near their eyes for fear of sustaining eye injury. Fear is a major barrier to acceptance and compliance. Because the non-adjustable pillars are of fixed dimension and angle of projection, two pillars may not rest on stable bone but instead on the eyelids. Further still, the device only applies drops to one eye at a time and does not allow the administration of drops to both eyes without reposition and realignment of the device. The Campagna design requires three disparate surfaces for device stabilization—nose, forehead and cheek. In contrast, the subject embodiments have three-point fixation, but only require two surfaces for stabilization—nose and forehead.
There exists a need in the art for an eye dropper holder that first locates precisely and also supports, stabilizes, and holds stationary, an eye dropper in all three of the up-down, side-to-side, and in-out axis, and which may function to accommodate both eyes with a single alignment placement by a user. There is a need for a device that can deliver an eye drop without causing reflexive blinking.